Severe floods sweep through China

A man holds on for dear life, as a raging torrent threatens to sweep him away.

On Monday, rescuers in central China pulled him to safety after he was stranded for hours.

Heavy rainfall has plagued dozens of villages and towns in Hunan Province, triggering floods and mudslides.

According to Chinese state media, local authorities have evacuated some 26,000 residents.

At least 1,500 homes have been damaged, as well as thousands of hectares of farmland.

Estimating losses up to 28 million US dollars, Chinese media reported that electricity and transportation services have also been affected.

Seasonal rain storms hit parts of China each year.

This year, the government has already warned of severe summer floods due to increased rainfall.

Travis Brecher, Reuters